Scorpions drop 2nd straight to Laredo


Former New Mexico goalie Andrew Martin showed his ex-teammates no love on Saturday, shutting down the Scorpions for most of the game as Laredo posted a 4-2 Central Hockey League game on Valentine’s Day

Martin, released by New Mexico on Jan. 27, stopped 21 of 23 shots and as the Bucks won for the second consecutive night and dealt a crucial blow to the Scorpions playoff hopes.

With the game tied entering the third period, Laredo took control with two goals in less than three minutes. Matt Miller poked home a goal just 18 seconds into the final period and Igor Agarunov added another 2:31 later to give the visitors a 3-1 lead.

Tom Maldonado brought New Mexico within range with his second goal of the season at the 12:33 mark but New Mexico could get no closer. The Scorpions were 0-for-5 on the power play for the night, but had only one opportunity after Maldonado’s goal.

Any chance New Mexico might have had for a comeback was ended when Michael Benyon was called for holding with 2:03 left, leaving the Scorpions a man short. Brent Cullaton capitalized with an empty-net power play goal with five seconds left in the game for the final margin.

The disappointing loss before 2,544 fans capped a lost weekend for the Scorpions. Arizona defeated Amarillo 4-3 in overtime on Saturday to reclaim the fifth spot in the Southern Conference playoff race, a point ahead of Corpus Christi, which lost to Rio Grande Valley 3-2. Those results leave New Mexico nine points out of the fifth and final playoff spot with 18 games remaining, including Tuesday ‘s 10:30 a.m. makeup game with Amarillo that concludes a season-long six game homestand.

That game, the traditional School Day game, is sold out. Ticket information for other games is available at www.ScorpionsHockey.com.

Complete statistics and standings are available at www.CentralHockeyLeague.com.